


Nightmare Never Dreamt of

by Katharos



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-06-05
Updated: 2005-06-05
Packaged: 2018-11-11 09:16:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11145441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katharos/pseuds/Katharos
Summary: Leorio realises something about the way others might view Kurapica





	Nightmare Never Dreamt of

Title: Nightmare Never Dreamt of  
Author: Katharos  
Rating: PG  
Fandom: Hunter x Hunter  
Characters: Leorio, Kurapica  
Request: Kneazles 'nightmares' <http://www.livejournal.com/community/fic_on_demand/168778.html>

 

Summary: Leorio realises something about the way others might view Kurapica  
June Chanllenge Day 5

It wasn’t, Leorio was realising, something he had ever really thought about. Or at least never made that final mental connection. Kurapica’s tribe had been killed, slaughtered, because people believed that their eyes, when they burnt red, were one of the most beautiful sights on the earth. And so some of those people desired to posses them.

But somehow in that mass of sympathetic rage and fury he felt for his friend, Leorio had never quite realised; there were people who could look at _Kurapica_ and only see that his eyes were valuable objects.

Some stupid thugs had been trying to trade of the name of the Spiders, terrorising stall keepers in the busy marketplace, and Leorio had seen Kurapica’s eyes flash red, just once, before the other boy had regained control of himself and set about teaching the young idiots some sense.

Leorio had thought little more of it, beyond teasing Kurapica into trying a gigantic multi-flavoured ice cream cone more suited to Killua’s tastes than either of theirs, until the shadow faded from his friend’s eyes.

But later, when the stalls were being packed up and even the idlers drifting away, walking slowly back to their rooms while talking quietly and teasingly to each other, a man stepped out of the shadows and Leorio realised that someone else had see, and thought a great deal of it.

“The last Kurata,” the man murmured quietly. Beside him, Leorio felt his friend stiffen. The stranger chuckled, a sound of pleased disbelief and great self-satisfaction. “Possessors of the Crimson eyes, one of the most beautiful items in the world. The ultimate prize for any collector – believed wiped out.”

Lust, Lerio realised. It was lust. Lust like he had seen on the faces of the auction goers in York Shin – the desire to posses a rare and beautiful object. Not lust for an attractive person - he’d seen Kurapica on the receiving end of far too many looks full of _that_ kind of lust, although the Kurata was usually politely, pointedly oblivious. Those looks had never made Leorio’s hackles rise like this, never made his teeth and hands clench with the desire to pummel their owners into a bloody pulp.

“Do you have any idea,” the man asked softly, “what a rare and valuable thing you are?”

There was a flare of crimson in the dusk and the familiar sound of ringing chains, the crack of fracturing bones and a screech of pain cut abruptly short.

And then silence.

“Leorio,” Kurapika said calmly, as he knelt over the moaning body of the collector. His head was bent so his blond hair fell forward and Leorio couldn’t see his eyes. Suddenly he wanted to. Desperately. “Would you mind going on the Hunter’s website and seeing if there is a bounty posted for him? If he’s such an unscrupulous collector he’s probably offended someone before this.”

“Sure,” Leorio muttered distractedly. And then before he could think better of it, he reached out and laid a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Oi…”

Kurapica glanced up at him, eyes wide and startled and but already calming.

Leorio stared down at him, struggling to find the words to express his outrage and anger, the fact that part of him wanted to grab him and not let him go while the rest just wanted to scream at the universe that anyone could be _allowed_ to look at Kurapica like that, but in the end all he could manage was;

“They look so much better on you.”


End file.
